Black Widow: The True Story of Giggling Granny Nannie Doss

By: Ryan Green

Narrated by: Steve White

Length: 3 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

In 1927, Charley Braggs arrived home to find two of his children dead. The doctor who observed the children in their last moments diagnosed food poisoning as the cause. There was no need for an autopsy. His wife, Nannie, blamed tainted grains as the source, but Charley wasn’t convinced.

Charley didn’t feel safe around his wife. In the middle of the night, he took his eldest daughter and ran for his life.

The outpouring of sympathy doubled for Nannie when they discovered her husband’s treachery. To her community, she was a sweet lady renowned for her cheerful disposition. But behind the facade was a much darker and sinister reality. A truth that four of her future husbands, two of her sisters, her mother, her mother-in-law, her nephew and her grandson would perilously discover.

Black Widow is a dramatic and chilling account of one of the most shocking true crime stories in American history. Ryan Green’s riveting narrative draws the listener into the real-live horror experienced by the victims and has all the elements of a classic thriller.

Caution: This book contains descriptive accounts of abuse and violence. If you are especially sensitive to this material, it might be advisable not to listen to this audiobook.

©2019 Ryan Green (P)2019 Ryan Green

Incredibly incisive account of a serial killer…

This was my first book by this author and I was so impressed with his ability to convey the story of Nannie Doss in such a smooth flowing narrative rife with personal detail. The biographical account of her life almost read like a fictional novel even though it was obviously a thoroughly researched and carefully analyzed timeline of events in the life of this remarkable and disturbed woman. The story is told from Nannie’s point of view (something not commonly seen in true crime books) and was, therefore, not simply a recitation of dates and facts conveyed in a succinct journalistic style which would have yielded a somewhat dry read offering a far less immersive experience. It is obvious that great thought was given to the psychology of Nannie resulting from the severe circumstances of her childhood. The author’s interpretation of Nannie’s behavior is imbued with keen insight into the effects of the seemingly inescapable emotional and psychological suffering she was forced to endure. Nannie’s profound psychopathy may never be completely understood but Mr. Green has certainly provided us with a very readable account of one of the most disturbing “black widow” cases to have come to light in relatively recent times. For those choosing to listen to the audio version of this story I would like to mention the outstanding narration provided by Steve White. Without reservation, I would highly recommend this case study to any enthusiast of the true crime genre.

While I did purchase a copy of this book, I was given a copy of the audio version by the author and I am voluntarily offering my honest and unbiased review.

When you set your standards far too high and lack scruples....

Nannie had only one extreme remedy for disappointment or general unhappiness. Murder became the easy button with her husband, children, and other family members. If she believed it would increase their happiness, or (in most cases) her own, she would add rat poison in something sweet she had made for them. It happened frequently, because she set nearly impossible standards on her mates, and bad judgement in choosing them.

Steve White read this book quite well and deserves a medal.

Ryan Green also deserves a medal, for explaining the circle-jerks that led Nannie to her demented decisions very well.

Giggling granny

The title sounds funny until you read what a messed up person Nanny Doss was. She fooled those around her for the longest time. Who would have thought a sweet little lady could be a cold blooded killer.

This woman will get under your skin

The things this woman has done will send chills up your skin. Nannie Foss grew up abused by her father and suffered a accident on a train early on. Did these things sculpt her into the killer that she became?

Throughout the book you will hear how she was on a search for romance, one she had in her head from reading romance books and magazines. and just as soon as she found they they ended up dead.

This book was really good as once I started I couldnt stop till the end. Much like the other Ryan Green audibooks in my collection. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have left this voluntary review.

Granny wasn't much of a giggler.

Although this is a story about a serial killer, it reads more like a biography than a TC story, it goes down a little dry. I felt it lacked the suspense and excitement I'm used to in a TC. Because I had never heard of Granny Doss before the lead up was interesting. Once into it however, she begins collecting and killing so many lovers they begin to blur into each other. To add to the mundane, the murderous methods employed by Granny were so passive that she almost seems normal. ALMOST I say, because when she starts offing family members just as nonchalantly as she does the lonely lovers, you are reminded of what a heartless sociopath she truly is. This story's lack of intensity however, is not reflective of the authors great writing skills. If you want a titillating "killer granny" story, I would recommend the Dorthea Puente tale "Beneath the Boarding House" by Ryan Green. It has all the gruesome detail and salaciousness this book doesn't.
- I was given a review copy in exchange for my honest review.

Wow...Hard to believe. She's just horrible!

Black Widow: The True Story of Giggling Granny Nannie Doss, by Ryan Green, was a pretty riveting listen as far as true crime accounts go. Obviously we've all heard of Black Widows-women who murder their husbands, often to profit from them when the marriage doesn't work to their standards. Nannie Doss is all that (she went through several husbands and only one got away with his life,) but on top of that, she murdered two of her own children and two of her grandchildren. The murder of the one grandchild right after her daughter gave birth was especially horrific IMO. I listened to this story in one day of running around and it kept my attention the entire time. Now, Nannie did have a terrible childhood-one that no child should ever have to go through, with a "father" that was a real piece of work and a mother that it seemed could only do so much. Not that that excuses anything. Nannie really didn't have much of a chance early on and who knows if it was her injury or something else that made her into the minster that she became. If you're a true crime fan and want to listen to something a little out of the typical, often male dominated serial killer realm, I'd definitely recommend listening to this horrific tale of Nannie Doss and her crimes.

Steve White did a good job narrating this tale. Especially with true crime accounts, I don't expect a narrator to really "perform" the various characters. This was read more as a factual account and I think it suited the story just fine. I'd definitely listen to more true crime novels narrated by Mr. White in the future. I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher for an honest review.

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How did she get away with all of it?

Yikes!!!
This is an unbelievable story of an extremely horrible person. I don't care how much trauma she had growing up. It didn't give her license to become the murderer she became.
I wondered if she would have gotten away with all her crimes today. I doubt it.
Very interesting and well written.

I was given this book by the author for an honest review. The opinions are mine alone. Thank you!

Black Widow

I was given this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher courtesy of Audiobook Boom at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

I cannot believe how short this book was compared to how much I learned about Nannie Doss and her life! She sure had a rough childhood with an abusive step-father. Her marriages were all pretty crappy overall too. I almost felt sorry for her. The craziest part is how she could fool people into thinking she was an innocent victim in everything that happened to her. I am a very empathetic person, but I cannot fathom her reasoning behind killing all the people she killed, especially her own children and grandchildren.
Ryan Green made Nannie come alive to me. He had so much background and the material is thought provoking. I felt like I was in the kitchen with Nannie and I was scared! Thank you very much, Ryan, for the opportunity to read and review this book. I will definitely be looking for more of your work!
Steve White have a very nice voice for narration. I listened to this in one sitting – I did not want it to end.

Unsettling

This creepy woman is truly unsettling. Nannie Doss is often sympathetic and isn't just a serial killer traipsing the countryside for her next victim. She's equally terrifying in her severe detachment from emotion when she does kill. It's all the more horrifying because in every case, it's someone who you'd expect her to love. This is the element of female serial killers which is so much more sinister and unsettling than males. You can read about male serial killers and, as long as it doesn't get too graphic, it's impersonal like watching an action movie. Women serial killers never let you forget the humanity of the tragedy.

This is another well done book by author Ryan Green and his partner in crime Steve White. (Green... White... There's definitely a pun or wordplay hiding in there somewhere but I'm not clever enough to find it.)

This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.

Black Widow

Very interesting book! So casual about what she did but not surpising! That's why I love Ryan's books! Always based on true stories! Excellently written plus learned a little history! Always a plus plus with Ryan! Congrats Ryan on a fascinating read!